Name of soldier : John Coyle
Descendent : Gary Coyle
Gary Coyle is an artist, originally from Dun Laoghaire and now living on Dublin’s Northside. He exhibits with the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery and was elected a member of artists body Aosdana in 2009. He was elected a member of the Royal Hibernia Academy in 2007.
Gary’s work embraces various media, including drawing, photography and spoken art/performance. In 2018, he had a one man show spoken word show at the Project entitled My Magnetic North.
Gary’s grand father and great uncle, who were second generation Irish born from Glasgow, both served in the First World War.
Your own name : Gary Coyle
Your relative: Grandfather John Coyle
Period of activity: World War One
Specific regiment: Don’t know
Areas served in: France
Did you have much contact with him?
No. He smoked himself into an early grave, 13 years before I was born. Apparently, he never spoke about the war. I think it completely traumatised him.
Where is he buried?
In Mount Jerome cemetery (pictured above)
Do you have any mementos of him?
Yes, a leather belt and buckle (pictured at top).
My grandfather got it off a German soldier and wore it until he died. It’s a standard issue army belt, and the motto on the buckle says ‘Gott Mit Uns’, which means ‘God is With Us’. And now I wear it.
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Gary Coyle’s Great Uncle also served
Your other relative: Great Uncle Thomas Maguire
Period of activity: World War One
Specific regiment: The Royal Dragoons
Areas served in: Belgium. Second Battle of Ypres
Did you have much contact with him?
No, he was killed in action in 1916 and his body was never found.
Where is he buried?
My Great Uncle’s body was never found. His name is on the Menin Gate at Ypres (above).
Do you have any mementos of him?
I have my grandfather’s German belt, as I said, which I sometimes wear. And someone else in the family has the Great Uncle’s campaign chest
The Lion and the Shamrock 